The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Soledad.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pot-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having desirable inflorescence forms and floret colors and excellent post-production longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the breeder in July, 1993, in Salinas, Calif., of the Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Penny Lane (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,238) as the male, or pollen, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection code No. 91-417001 as the female, or seed, parent.
The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., in March, 1994. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form and floret colors and excellent post-production longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings harvested in a controlled environment is Salinas, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.